Terminal crimping and transferring apparatus



July 4, 1967 G. H. SCHWALM 3,

v TERMI NAL CRIMPING AND TRANSFERRING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 5, 1965 aSheets-Sheet 1 July 4, 1967 G. H. SCHWALM 3,329,002

I TERMINAL GRIMPING AND TRANSFERRING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 5, 1965 6Sheets-Sheet 2 3,329,002 TERMINAL CRIMPING AND TRANSFERRING APPARATUSJuly 4, 1967 e. H. SCHWALM Filed Jan. 5, 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 y 4, 1967 G.H. SCHWALM 3,329,002

TERMINAL CRIMPING AND TRANSFERRING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 1965 6Sheets-Sheet 4 July 4, 1967 G. H. SCHWALM 3,329,002

TERMINAL CRIMPING AND TRANSFERRING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 5, 1965 6Sheets-Sheet 5 July 4, 1967 TERMINAL CRIMPING AND TRANSFERRING APPARATUSFiled Jan. 5, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 G. H. SCHWALM 3,329,002

United States Patent Ofilice 3,329,002 TERMINAL CRIMPING AND TRANSFERRINAPPARATUS Glendon Henry Schwalm, Harrisburg, Pa., assignor to AMPIncorporated, Harrisburg, Pa. Filed Jan. 5, 1965, Ser. No. 423,565Claims. (Cl. 72-416) This invention relates to apparatus for crimping aterminal onto the end of a wire and for transferring the wire from thecrimping station to a second station for a subsequent operation.

The US. patent to Kerns, 3,071,174, discloses an apparatus for crimpinga terminal onto a wire and having a transfer device which grips the wirein the crimping station and transfers it to an adjacent station for asubsequent operation. In this Kerns patent, the subsequent operationtakes the form of a molding operation in which insulating material ismolded around the terminal. The present invention relates to apparatusof the general type shown in the Kern's patent having an improvedtransferring device.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an improvedapparatus for crimping a terminal onto a wire and transferring the wireto a location beside the crimping station for a secondary operation. Itis a further object to provide a transferring device for wire or thelike having improved means for clamping the wire. A still further objectis the provision of a semi-automatic or automatic machine having twowork stations, a transferring device for transferring the work piecefrom the first station to the second station, means for automaticallycrimping the work piece at the first station, means for performing anassembling operation at the second station, and means for ejecting thework piece from the transferring device at the second station.

These and other objects are achieved in a preferred embodiment of theinvention comprising a press having a crimping station for crimpingterminals onto the ends of wires and an assembling station beside thecrimping station for assembling insulating housings to the individualterminals. The individual wires are gripped at the crimping station bymeans of a square plate mounted for rotation in its own plane about anaxis extending between the crimping station and the assembling station.This plate has a clamping means adjacent to each of its corners, eachclamping means comprising a notch extending through the plate and aslidable jaw which is resiliently biased towards one side of the notch.These slidable jaws each have an extension which projects beyond anadjacent side of the plate when the clamps are closed, the arrangementbeing such that the clamps may be opened by pushing the extensioninwardly towards the adjacent side of the plate. Each clamp may be heldin its open position by means of a latch which is engageable with theslidable jaw Patented July 4, 1967 In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a wire having a terminal crimped ontoits end;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a housing of a type adapted to beassembled to the terminal of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary frontal view showing a transferring device inaccordance with the invention and parts of a crimping and assemblingapparatus in conjunction with which the transferring device is used, theparts being shown in FIGURE 3 in the positions they occupy at thebeginning of the operating cycle;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 but showing the positions of theparts after a terminal has been crimped onto a wire and prior toindexing of the trans ferring device;

FIGURE 5 is a view taken along the lines 55 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 but showing the positions of theparts after indexing of the transferring device and during theassembling operation;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary plan view showing the transfer mechanism andthe feeding mechanism for feeding insulating housings to the assemblingstation;

FIGURE 7A is a fragmentary side view taken along the lines 7-7 of FIGURE7;

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view, with some parts exploded, of thetransfer mechanism in accordance with I the invention; and

and which is located on the same side of the plate as its associatedclamp. These latching devices are resiliently biased into engagementwith the slidable jaws when the jaws are in their retracted position,the arrangement being such that any one of the latches can be disengagedfrom its associated jaw by the application of pressure thereto. Thepreferred form of apparatus in accordance with the invention is providedwith means for engaging the latch of each jaw at the crimping stationduring the crimping operation thereby to disengage the latch and toclamp the wire between the slidable jaw and one side of the associatednotch. Means are provided at the assembling station for engaging theextension of the slidable jaw of each clamp to disengage the jaw fromthe gripped work piece and release the work piece after the assemblingoperation has been completed.

FIGURES 9 and 10 are sectional views showing one of the clampingmechanisms of the transferring device, FIG- URE 9 showing the positionsof the parts when the clamp is open and FIGURE 10 showing the positionsof the parts when the clamp is closed.

Referring first to FIGURES 1 and 2, the present invention is intended toapply an insulating housing member 6 to a terminal 4 which has beencrimped onto the end of the wire 2. Housings of this type can beassembled to terminals by merely moving the housing axially onto theterminal. It is common practice to provide a detent device such as astruck out lance 3 in the terminal which engages a suitable shoulder inthe housing to retain the terminal and housing in assembledrelationship. The present invention thus provides a crimping means at afirst station, A, (FIGURES 3 and 7) for crimping the terminal onto thewire, assembling means at a second stat-ion, B, for assembling thehousing 6 to the terminal 4, a transfer device for gripping the wire atstation A, transferring it to station B, and means for ejecting the wireafter the housing has been assembled to the terminal.

It should be mentioned at this point that the embodiment of theinvention described below will ordinarily be utilized in conjunctionwith an apparatus of the general type fully described in US. Patent3,071,174 and comprising a crimping press and a transferring mechanism.Accordingly, only these parts of the press structure and the assemblingmechanism which are necessary for an understanding of the presentinvention are described in detail.

The disclosed embodiment of the invention comprises a base plate 8 whichis ordinarily mounted on the press platen 9, a crimping die 10, which ismounted on the press ram, and an anvil 12 suitably mounted on base plate8. A strip of terminals 4 is fed along an upper surface of a supportblock 14 between a pair of guide rails 16, 18 to position the leadingterminal of the strip on the anvil 12. In operation of devices of thistype, the wire is positioned by the operator between the die 10 and theanvil 12 and is crimped onto the leading terminal of the strip when thedie moves downwardly towards the anvil. This leading terminal is severedfrom the strip during the crimping operation by a suitable shearingblade movable with the die 10.

During each cycle of the press, a housing 6 is applied to a terminal 4at the assembling station B. The housings may be fed to the assemblingstation by any suitable feeding means, the disclosed embodiment of theinvention including a housing feed mechanism 19 comprising a blockhaving guide rails 22 thereon which define a path for the housings. Thefeeding is carried out by means of a pair of reciprocable feed pawls 24,26 which advance the row of housings in a manner such that the leadingor frontmost housing is pushed onto the terminal 4. Feed assembly 19 maybe actuated in any suitable manner as by separate piston-cylinder (notshown) and is guided along its path of reciprocation by means of a g-ib20 secured to the plate 8.

Since the terminal 4" at assembling station B must be accurately alignedwith the housing to which it is being assembled, it is desirable to gripthe end portion of the terminal by means of a pair of gripping fingers28 (FIG- URES 3-6). These fingers are pivotally mounted at their ends asshown at 30 on parallel spaced-apart axes on a slide block 34. Slideblock 34 is slidably mounted on a guide member 35 which is secured to abracket 37 on the base plate 8. The fingers 28 and the slide block 34are moved towards and away from the assembling station B by means of acontrol rod 36 coupled at 38 to a piston rod 40 extending from apneumatic piston-cylinder 42. Guide rod 36 extends slidably through anopening 44 in the block member and through an opening in a boss 45extending from the block 34 and disposed between the fingers 28. At itsforward end, rod 36 is pivotally connectedby means of a pin 46 to a pairof links 48, each of which is pivotally connected to one of the fingers28. A collar 50-is provided on the rod 36 and a spring 52 is interposedbetween the collar 50 and the boss 45.

The arrangement is such that upon rightward movement of the piston rod40 and the control rod 36, the slide member 34 is also moved rightwardlyfrom the position of FIGURE 3 to the position of FIGURE 6. During suchinitial movement of the control rod, fingers 28 remain open by virtue ofthe fact that spring 52 is relatively stiff. When the slide member 34reaches the limit of its rightward movement, the rod continues to moverightwardly compressing the spring 52 and closing the fingers as shownin FIGURE 6. The notched ends 54 of these fingers thus embrace theterminal 4' and hold it firmly and accurately in alignment with the,leading housing to which it is to be assembled.

Referring now to FIGURES 8, 9, and the transfer device in accordancewith the present invention comprises a square plate 56 mounted forrotation about a shaft 58. Plate 56 is provided with a clamping means oneach of its sides 60, .62, 64, 66 adjacent to each of the corners 68 ofthe plate. Since these clamping devices are identical to each other, adescription of one will suffice for all. Each clamping device thuscomprises a notch 70 extending through the plate adjacent to theassociated corner and a slidable jaw member 72 mounted in the notch.This jaw has an elongated base section 74 which is slidably mounted inarecess 76 in the face of the plate and is resiliently biased outwardlyby means of a "spring 78. The clamping devices are thus in a normallyclosed condition under the. influence of the spring 78. It should benoted that when one of the clamping devices is in closed condition, thebase portion 74 of the slidable jaw 72 projects beyond the adjacent sideof the plate, note the clamp in the upper right-hand corner of FIGURE 8.The base portion 74 of the slidable jaw of this clamping device projectsbeyond the surface of the adjacent side 66 of the plate. It will beapparent that the jaws can be opened by pushing the projecting portionof the base 74 inwardly against the compression of the spring 78 untilthis projecting portion is flush with the adjacent side of the plate.

The clamping devices on the plate 56 can be latched in their openedconditions by means of a latch arm 80 pivotally mounted on a pin 82.Latch arm 80 is disposed in a recess 84 in the side of the plate and isbiased by means of a spring 86 in a clockwise direction (as viewed inFIG- URES 9 and 10) in a manner such that the hooked end 88 of the latcharm will engage a projection 90 on the associated sliding jaw. When aclamping means is latched in open position, as shown in FIGURE 9, thesprings 86 and 78 oppose each other to prevent release of the slidingjaw and closing of the clamp. The clamping means shown in FIGURES 9 and10 can thus be opened by pressing on the left-hand end of the lever toraise the hook portion 88 of the lever out of engagement with theprojection of the sliding jaw. When this lever is released, the slidingjaw moves rightwardly under influence of the spring 78 to clamp the wireas shown.

During operation of the device, the clamps will be in their opencondition when each corner arrives at the crimping station A. Theoperator positions the wire within the notch 70 and actuates the pressto initiate the crimping cycle. A rod 94 is mounted on the press ram andis movable with the die 10 so that as the ram moves downwardly, this rodengages the left-hand side of the lever 80 disposed at the crimpingstation thus disengaging the lever from the slidable jaw to bring aboutclosing of the clamp.

Each clamp is opened at the assembling station B after a housing hasbeen assembled to the terminal located at the station B. Opening of theclamp is brought about in the disclosed embodiment by means of a bellcrank 122 having a roller 124 on one of its arms. The other arm of thisbell crank is pivotally connected to the piston rod 126 of a pneumaticpiston-cylinder 128, the arrangement being such that upon rightwardmovement of the piston rod in FIGURE 7A, the roller 124 moves along anarcuate path towards the projecting portion of the slide member atstation B and pushes the projecting portion downwardly. Bell crank 122may be pivotally connected to a bracket 130 extending from a supportblock 132 mounted on the gib 20.

A suitable means for indexing the plate 56 is provided in the form of aratchet plate 96 secured to the face plate 92 of the transfer mechanism.Ratchet plate 96 has four teeth 98 extending from its sides forengagement with a pawl 102 provided on the end of an oscillable arm onthe shaft 58. Arm 100 is pivotally connected at 104 to a block 106 onthe end of a piston rod 108 of a pistoncylinder 110. The arrangement issuch that upon rightward movement of this piston rod from the positionof FIGURE 4, the pawl 102 pulls the lowermost one of the teeth 98rightwardly thereby to rotate the plate 96 in a counterclockwisedirection about the pin 58 as shown in FIGURE 6.

The ratchet plate 96 is stopped from further movement after it hasrotated throughan angle of 90 by means of a lever 112 .pivoted to basemember 8 at 114. A spring 116 connected to the lower end of the lever112 biases this member in a clockwise direction about its axis. Ashoulder 118 is provided on the upper end of lever 112 for engagementwith the tooth 98 disposed on the lefthand side of plate 96, thisshoulder functioning to prevent rotary movement of the plate 96 on theplate 56 beyond an angular displacement of 90.

A finger 120 extends obliquely from the upper end of the lever 112 andfunctions as an ejector for knocking the wire from the clampingmechanism in the upper lefthand corner of the plate 56. Ejection takesplace when piston rod 108 moves leftwardly from the position of FIGURE 3and engages the lever 112 causing it to swing in a counterclockwise areabout its axis 114. Such movement of lever 112 causes the shoulder 118to be disengaged from the adjacent tooth 98 and also causes the finger120 to eject the wire in the upper left-hand clamping means of thetransfer device.

The operation of the disclosed embodiment of the invention is asfollows. At the beginning of the operating cycle, the parts will be inthe positions shown in FIG- URE 3 with the clamping means disposed atstations A and B both being in opened condition. The operator firstpositions the wire in the notch 70 at station A and closes a suitablecontrol switch (not specifically shown) to actuate the press ram andmove the crimping die towards the crimping anvil. The wire in the notchis then crimped to a terminal on the anvil and the clamping means instation A is closed when the rod 94 engages the lever 80 to release theslidable jaw 72. After the crimping operation has been completed, thecrimping die and rod 94 return to their initial or raised positions andair is supplied to the piston-cylinder 110 to move the piston rod 108leftwardly (FIGURE 4). During this portion of the cycle, the arm 100 isswung in a clockwise direction until the pawl 102 engages the lowermostone of the teeth 98 on the plate 96. The clockwise swinging motion ofthe arm 100 has the efiect of swinging the lever 112 in acounterclockwise direction about its pivotal axis 114 when the lower endof arm 100 engages the lever 112. When the lever 112 is swung ina'counterclockwise direction, the finger 120 on the upper end of thelever ejects the wire in the notch at station B which remains in thisnotch from the previous cycle. The completed lead falls beside thetransfer device and can be removed at any convenient time.

Piston rod 108 is then moved rightwardly in FIGURE 4 causing the pawl102 to index the transfer mechanism through an angle of 90 so that theparts will be positioned as shown in FIGURE 6. The piston-cylinder 110can thus be of the double acting type and suitable arrangements can bemade to supply compressed air to its left-hand side to cause therightward movement of the piston rod 108.

Indexing of the transfer mechanism has the result of positioning thepreviously crimped terminal and Wire at station B for the assemblingoperation. Immediately after indexing, compressed air is supplied topiston-cylinder 42 to cause rightward movement of the piston rod 40 andcontrol rod 36. As a result of such movement of the piston rod, thefingers 28 are moved rightwardly and closed into gripping engagementwith the terminal at station B. Fingers 28 remain in their closedcondition with the terminal at station B until the leading housing ofthe row of housings is fed partially onto the terminal. Thereafter, thefingers are opened and the leading housing is fed the rest of the wayonto the terminal at station B. It will be apparent from an inspectionof FIGURE 7 that the fingers 28 must be opened after the housing hasbeen fed partially onto the terminal in station B in order to permitthis housing to be moved over the entire length of the terminal.

'1: will be understood that suitable controls can be provided forbringing about the desired sequence of operat-ions and particularly, theactuation of the piston-cylinders 110, 42 to produce the sequence ofsteps recited above. These controls, for example, can take the form ofmicroswitches actuated by the ram to which the crimping die 10 isattached.

A salient advantage of the invention is that the individual clamps onthe transfer device are positive in their operation and are capable ofholding the wire firmly and securely. A wide placement area is providedfor the wire being positioned between the crimping dies by the operator.It should also be noted that the precise timing of the apparatus can bereadily controlled by shortening or lengthening the rod 94 so that thewire will be gripped and released at the desired times in the operatingcycle.

I claim:

1. A plate having a clamping means on one side thereof, said clampingmeans being closable upon pressing on said one side and being openableupon pressing on a side adjacent to said one side, said clamping meanscomprising, a notch extending through said one side, a slidable jaw insaid notch, resilient means biasing said jaw towards said adjacent sideto close said clamping means, said slidable jaw having an extensionprojecting 'beyond said adjacent side when said clamping means isclosed, a latch means on said one side engageable with said slidable jawwhen said clamping means is open to hold said clamping means in opencondition, said latch means being disengageable from said slidable jawupon pressing on said one side thereby to close said clamping means, andsaid clamping means being openable upon pressing on said extension.

2. A plate having a clamping means on one side thereof, said clampingmeans being closable upon pressing on said one side and being openableupon pressing on a side adjacent to said one side, said clamping meanscomprising .a notch extending through said one side, a slidable jaw insaid notch, resilient means biasing said jaw towards an adjacent sidewhereby an article in said notch is clamped between said slidable jawand one side of said notch, said slidable jaw having an extension whichprojects beyond said adjacent side when said clamping means is closed, alatch means on said one side for retaining said slidable jaw in itsretracted position against the force of said resilient means, said latchmeans being disengageable from said slidable jaw upon pressing on saidone side to close said clamping means, and said clamping means beingopenable upon pressing on said extension to move said extension inwardlytowards said adjacent side.

3. A plate having a clamping means on each side and adjacent to eachcorner thereof, said clamping means being closable upon pressing on theone side on which said clamping means is located and being openable uponpressing on the side adjacent to said one side, each of said clampingmeans comprising, :a notch extending through said one side and adjacentto said one corner and a slidable jaw in said notch, a first resilientmeans biasing said slidable jaw towards said corner to close saidclamping means, said slidable jaw having an extension which projectsbeyond said adjacent side when said clamping means is closed, saidclamping means being openable upon pressing said extension inwardlytowards said adjacent side, and a latch means on said one sideengageable with said slidable jaw when said jaw is in its retractedposition and said clamping means is open, a second resilient meansbiasing said latch means into engagement with said slidable jaw to holdsaid jaw in its retracted position, said latch means being disengageablefrom said jaw upon pressing on said one side of said plate.

4. Transfer means for Wire or the like comprising, a square platecentrally mounted for rotation in its own plane, said plate havingclamping means on each side and adjacent to each corner thereof, saidclamping means being closable upon pressing on the one side on whichsaid clamping means is located and being openable upon pressing on theside adjacent to said one side, each of said clamping means comprising,a notch extending through said one side and adjacent to said one cornerand a slidable jaw in said notch, a first resilient means biasing saidslidable jaw towards said corner whereby said clamp is closed, saidslidable jaw having an extension which projects beyond said adjacentside when said clamping means is closed, said clamping means beingopenable upon pressing said extension inwardly towards said adjacentside, and a latch means on said one side engageable with said slidablejaw when said jaw is in its retracted position and said clamping meansis open, a second resilient means biasing said latch means intoengagement with said slidable jaw whereby said first and secondresilient means function to hold said jaw in its retracted position,said latch means being disengageable from said jaw upon pressing on saidone side of said plate, means for indexing said plate, clamp closingmeans beside said plate at a first station for engaging each of saidlatch means when each side of said plate is positioned adjacent to saidfirst station, and means beside said plate at a second station forengaging said extensions thereby to open each of said clamp- 7 ing meanswhen each side is positioned adjacent to said second station.

5. Apparatus for crimping connectors onto the ends of wires at a firststation and transferring said wires to a second station for a subsequentoperation comprising, a crimping die and a crimping anvil, said diebeing movable relatively towards and away from said anvil, said die andanvil constituting said first station, said second station beingdisposed beside said first station, a plate mounted for rotation in itsown plane on an axis extending between said first station and saidsecond station, said plate having clamping means on each side andassociated with each corner thereof, each of said clamping meanscomprising, a notch extending through said one side and adjacent to saidone corner and a slidable jaw in said notch, a first resilient meansbiasing said slidable jaw towards said one corner whereby said clamp isclosed, said slidable jaw having an extension which projects beyond theside adjacent to said one side and said associated corner, each clampingmeans being openable upon pressing said extension inwardly towards saidadjacent side, a

latch means on said one side engageable with said slidable jaw when saidjaw is in its retracted position and said clamping means is open, asecond resilient means biasing said latch means into engagement withsaid slidable jaw whereby said first and second resilient means functionto hold said jaw in its retracted position, said latch means beingdisengageable from said jaw upon pressing on said one side of saidplate, means at said first station for engaging said latch means therebyto close said clamping means concomitantly with crimping of saidterminal, and means at said second station for pressing on saidextension concomitantly with performance of said subsequent operationthereby to open each of said clamping means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,071,174 1/1961 Kerns 29-203CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

R. D. G'REFE, Assistant Examiner.

1. A PLATE HAVING A CLAMPING MEANS ON ONE SIDE THEREOF, SAID CLAMPINGMEANS BEING CLOSABLE UPON PRESSING ON SAID ONE SIDE AND BEING OPENABLEUPON PRESSING ON A SIDE ADJACENT TO SAID ONE SIDE, SAID CLAMPING MEANSCOMPRISING, A NOTCH EXTENDING THROUGH SAID ONE SIDE, A SLIDABLE JAW INSAID NOTCH, RESILIENT MEANS BIASING SAID JAW TOWARDS SAID ADJACENT SIDETO CLOSE SAID CLAMPING MEANS, SAID SLIDABLE JAW HAVING AN EXTENSIONPROJECTING BEYOND SAID ADJACENT SIDE WHEN SAID CLAMPING MEANS IS CLOSED,A LATCH MEANS ON SAID ONE SIDE ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID SLIDABLE JAW WHENSAID CLAMPING MEANS IS OPEN TO HOLD SAID CLAMPING MEANS IN OPENCONDITION, SAID LATCH MEANS BEING DISENGAGEABLE FROM SAID SLIDABLE JAWUPON PRESSING ON SAID ON SIDE THEREBY TO CLOSE SAID CLAMPING MEANS, ANDSAID CLAMPING MEANS BEING OPENABLE UPON PRESSING ON SAID EXTENSION.